An off beat look at Indonesian and South East Asian football from the terraces or the pub

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Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Indonesia v South Korea

The maths are simple. Indonesia must beat South Korea to guarantee passage through to the knock out stage of the Asian Cup. Do that and they will have exceeded the nation's hopes. Fail and hey, they have done a lot better than anyone seriously predicted. They go into the game boosted by the return of key players Ponaryo Astaman and defender Mahyadi Panggabean. It will also be the first chance for the Indonesian public to see their heroes, if half of them know the names I'll be surprised, wear the new change kit of white shirts and green shorts.

What is not so simple are the logistics, for me at least, of getting to the stadium in time for the 5.20 kick off. What dumb numpty fixed on an early evening kick off in the middle of the week in the middle of Jakarta? Any normal evening and the area is snarled up with communters going home from their offices that surround the Bung Karno complex. Wednesday will see traffic flood into the area as another 80,ooo +++ try to get to see the game on time. Weekend games, when traffic is lighter, have been later kick offs. Tomorrow central Jakarta is going to be an absolute mess and with the game finishing about 7.30, when the work traffic is still going home then god knows what time I'm going to get home.